tag:,2017:blogdestructoidhttp://bulk2.destructoid.com/ele2/images/destructoid/favicon.ico2017-09-07T15:45:00Ztag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=459778Jordan Devorehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jordan+DevoreFree-to-play Magic: The Gathering Arena revealed2017-09-07T15:45:00Z2017-09-07T15:45:00Z<p>Another digital card game is entering the fray. Wizards of the Coast has unveiled <em></em><a target="_blank" href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/everything-you-need-know-about-magic-gathering-arena-2017-09-07"><em>Magic: The Gathering Arena</em></a>, a free-to-play title in production at the company's in-house Digital Games Studio.</p>
<p>Sign-ups are open for a <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/mtgarena" target="_blank">closed beta</a>, and while the game is currently targeting a PC release, it'll "expand to other platforms when it's ready." The beta will "start with Constructed play, where you can build decks using all 279 cards from the upcoming <em>Magic </em>set <em>Ixalan</em>. We plan to add Draft and Ranked Constructed later. Our goal for launch is to include all Standard-legal <em>Magic</em> cards."</p>
<p>"The focus of <em>MTG Arena</em> will be on the newest cards and game modes," notes vice president of digital game development Jeffrey Steefel. "Because of this, we know that <em>Magic Online</em> -- which has a library of nearly every card ever printed from the game's entire history -- will continue to offer experiences to players that are unique to <em>Magic Online</em>. Development on <em>Magic Online</em> will continue with new card sets, new updates, and ongoing tournaments."</p>
<p>It sounds like they're angling for the coveted live-streaming crowd, which is to be expected. "We want popular <em>MTG Arena</em> streams to consistently be among the most-viewed streams on Twitch. We want players to eagerly anticipate<em> MTG Arena</em> draft nights with their friends around the world. We want pro players' competitive ladder matches to be watched with the same fervor as a Grand Prix."</p>
<p>I'm no <em>MTG </em>player, but I have a sense that y'all have been burned before. You feeling this?</p>
<p><a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/everything-you-need-know-about-magic-gathering-arena-2017-09-07" target="_blank">Everything You Need to Know About Magic: The Gathering Arena</a> [Magic]<strong><span><br /></span></strong></p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/459778-h1.jpg" alt="Free-to-play Magic: The Gathering Arena revealed screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/free-to-play-magic-the-gathering-arena-revealed-459778.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=410031Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissTales from the Yawning Portal is the next Dungeons & Dragons book2017-01-05T19:30:00Z2017-01-05T19:30:00Z<p>The first addition to <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </em>this year is <em>Tales from the Yawning Portal</em>, a new campaign book that takes ideas and dungeons from the past five decades and brings them to the fifth edition.</p>
<p>It's framed as a collection of tales being told at the Yawning Portal inn:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>"When the shadows grow long in Waterdeep and the fireplace in the taproom of the Yawning Portal dims to a deep crimson glow, adventurers from across the Forgotten Realms, and even from other worlds, spin tales and spread rumors of dark dungeons and lost treasures. Some of the yarns overheard by Durnan, the barkeep of the Yawning Portal, are inspired by places and events in far-flung lands from across the D&amp;D multiverse, and these tales have been collected into a single volume."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Included adventures are Against the Giants, Dead in Thay, Forge of Fury, Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, Sunless Citadel, Tomb of Horrors, and White Plume Mountain. I really like the idea of all these mini-adventures being in one place, because even though I really enjoy adventure books like <em>Curse of Strahd </em>and <em>Storm King's Thunder</em>, the rate at which my group plays doesn't work well with full campaigns. I'm going to start my own homebrew campaign soon, and I'd love to pepper in the Tomb of Horrors somewhere in the middle of our game. Plus, it's sometimes hard to run these book adventures because cover-to-cover knowledge helps, and that's easier with smaller chapters.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/tales-yawning-portal" target="_blank">Tales from the Yawning Portal</a> </em>will release April 4, 2017 for $49.95.</p>
<p><sub>[The header image is the cover from <em>Princes of the Apocalypse</em>&nbsp;because as of right now, there are no images from <em>Tales from the Yawning Portal</em>&nbsp;that work for our header dimensions!]</sub></p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/410031-portalhead.jpg" alt="Tales from the Yawning Portal is the next Dungeons & Dragons book screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=399655Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissVolo's Guide to Monsters is the new, awesome Monster Manual for Dungeons & Dragons2016-11-16T12:00:00Z2016-11-16T12:00:00Z<p>Picking up a new <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </em>book is one of my favorite experiences. Opening it for the first time, the spine cracking a bit, the pages resistant to turning -- it all makes for a bizarrely tactile feeling that I look forward to each time. The <em>Monster Manual</em>&nbsp;type of books have always been my favorite to flip through, especially with the Fifth Edition version. Each creature comes with stat blocks to make them playable for your adventures, but it's always the story hooks that dig deep into me, helping me to conjure half-formed inklings of worlds and scenarios I can drag my players into. Wizards of the Coasts' newest book&nbsp;<em>Volo's Guide to Monsters </em>combines the granular nature of stats with even more narrative, and it's all the better for it.</p>
<p>Instead of being a collection of beasties ripe for plucking and placing into a campaign, <i>Volo's Guide</i>&nbsp;is presented as an in-universe text.&nbsp;<a href="https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Volothamp_Geddarm" target="_blank">Volothamp Geddarm</a>, a traveling scholar who's known for not always being completely accurate in his writings, has collected his observations on monsters into a book. Elminster, the Sage of Shadowdale, isn't so sure that Volo's gotten everything right. Because of this, there's the <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;equivalent of post-it notes with Elminster's notes throughout the book disputing what Volo has to say. Unlike the <em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/d-d-sword-coast-adventurer-s-guide-releasing-in-november-297120.phtml" target="_blank">Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</a></em>, the focus is still on material to improve your game, but these story blurbs add so much character to the book and make it a more entertaining read.</p>
<p><em>Volo's Guide </em>is divided into three chapters: monster lore, character races, and a bestiary. The monster lore chapter is a sort of deep dive into some of the most iconic <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;monsters. Instead of just the few pages&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beholder_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)" target="_blank">beholders</a> have in the <em>Monster Manual</em>, they have thirteen. This allows for a more in-depth look at how eye-beasts reproduce, behave around minions, how they fight and live their daily lives. There are also rolling tables so you can make a beholder on the fly (traits like skin color, texture, eyestalk shape, and the like) and a sample map of one of their lairs. Seeing so much information on one subset of enemy really got my creative juices flowing, and I almost want to make a beholder campaign now. Also included in this chapter are giants, gnolls, goblinoids, hags, kobolds, mind flayers, orcs, and yaun-ti.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/399655-wallpaper_1920x1080.jpg" alt="Volo's Guide to Monsters is the new, awesome Monster Manual for Dungeons & Dragons screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/volo-s-guide-to-monsters-is-the-new-awesome-monster-manual-for-dungeons-dragons-399655.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=397782Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissDungeonology and this Dungeons & Dragons coloring book make for great coffee table accessories2016-11-07T16:00:00Z2016-11-07T16:00:00Z<p>Wizards of the Coast has been busy with <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;since fifth edition came out a couple years ago. With five full adventures out (including the recent <em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/a-crap-ton-of-dungeons-dragons-news-came-out-this-week-366018.phtml" target="_blank">Storm's King Thunder</a></em>, which I haven't had the chance to play through yet), <em>Volo</em>'s <em>Guide to Monsters</em>&nbsp;releasing in a week or so, and all sorts of other projects, no one can say the team is slouching. Third-party books are starting to drift in to fill the gaps between releases, and I received two of them for review. Candlewick Press's&nbsp;<em>Dungeonology </em>and <em>Monsters and Heroes of the Realms: Coloring Book </em>aren't designed to supplement your game, but they're fun to flip through for fans of the multiverse, and&nbsp;both look great on a coffee table.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/397782-coffeetables.jpg" alt="Dungeonology and this Dungeons & Dragons coloring book make for great coffee table accessories screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/dungeonology-and-this-dungeons-dragons-coloring-book-make-for-great-coffee-table-accessories-397782.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=350421Joe Parlockhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joe+ParlockAcquisitions Inc. is coming to Neverwinter's newest event2016-03-23T03:00:00Z2016-03-23T03:00:00Z<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mkf2W3jNXSM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><i>Neverwinter&rsquo;s </i>newest event is uh&hellip; a tad strange.</p>
<p><i>Portobello&rsquo;s Campaign </i>is a series of missions inspired by Acquisition Inc.&rsquo;s live <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </i>sessions at PAX Prime 2015.</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;ve never heard of Acquisition Inc. before today, it&rsquo;s a live, annual one-shot <i>D&amp;D</i> campaign run by <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </i>story designer Chris Perkins at each PAX Prime event. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA3VbDqj7C4&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">watch last year&rsquo;s game on YouTube</a>, and it&rsquo;s pretty dang entertaining.</p>
<p><i>Portobello&rsquo;s Campaign </i>sees Perkins and his alter ego Portobello DaVinci rope players in for an incredibly meta series of missions set in the actual table-top game. Your characters, enemies, maps, and bosses all become pieces on a huge table, with a behemoth Portobello looming over you like something from <i>Attack on Titan.</i></p>
<p>As much as I love <i>Neverwinter</i>, it still took me a few watches of this trailer to get on board. The writing in the trailer isn&rsquo;t exactly stellar, but it <i>is</i> incredibly camp, and reminiscent of what your average person thinks of when they hear &lsquo;<i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons.' Neverwinter&rsquo;s </i>always been self-aware of how daft a lot of <i>D&amp;D </i>stuff can sound, so seeing it delve completely into cheesy territory should be entertaining.</p>
<p>While there is, unfortunately, no word of it coming to the Xbox One version,<i> Portobello&rsquo;s Campaign </i>is a month-long event that will be starting on March 31 for PC.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/350421-neverwinterportobello.jpg" alt="Acquisitions Inc. is coming to Neverwinter's newest event screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=350317Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissCurse of Strahd seems like good goth-y D&D fun so far2016-03-22T19:00:00Z2016-03-22T19:00:00Z<p>Shame on me. I made a mental note to write about<a href="https://www.destructoid.com/ravenloft-is-returning-to-d-d-with-the-curse-of-strahd-335118.phtml" target="_blank"> </a><em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/ravenloft-is-returning-to-d-d-with-the-curse-of-strahd-335118.phtml" target="_blank">Curse of Strahd</a> </em>the day it came out last week, but GDC's chaos complicated my plans. I read about half of the new adventure book for <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;while on Steven's futon between appointments, but still forgot to write a post about it.</p>
<p>So here it is! <em>Curse of Strahd</em>&nbsp;marks the first foray into the Ravenloft setting for Fifth Edition. It's all about Count <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">Dracula</span>&nbsp;Strahd Von Zarovich, a vampire lord residing in the gloomy land of Barovia. I'm particularly excited to run this book because it's horror-themed, replete with hags, werewolves, and spooky fortune-telling. Said divination also brings a unique mechanic to <em>D&amp;D</em>: by using either a regular deck of playing cards (or the fancy set made by <a href="https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/tarokka-deck" target="_blank">Gale Force Nine</a>), you can do a tarokka reading that determines certain parts of your campaign. This can lead to different artifact and enemy locations, or decide which NPCs players should seek out to join forces with.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Curse of Strahd</em>&nbsp;also comes with a huge, perforated map that you can easily fold up and hide in the book. One side of it shows the whole of Barovia, and the other shows cutaway views of Castle Ravenloft, which seems huge. The map has already been a convenient reference for all of the plans I'm formulating prior to this Friday's game. Since this adventure is for players level 1-10, my regular group will be rolling new characters.</p>
<p>I'm still trying to figure out how I want to cover this. Huge allotments of time are required for <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;in general, and providing on-going coverage is another challenge in and of itself. So I ask you lovely folks: what do you want to know about the book? Do you have questions about the bestiary, the general content of the storyline, whether it's too rail-roady? Would you like me to do quick summaries of each game, whenever I wrangle my friends all together in the same place for long enough? Let me know how you want to see this play out.</p>
<p><em>Curse of Strahd</em>&nbsp;released on March 15 for $49.95.</p>
<p><sub>[This coverage is based on a retail copy provided by the publisher.]</sub></p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/350317-ravenloftamper.jpg" alt="Curse of Strahd seems like good goth-y D&D fun so far screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=342464Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissInside Critical Role: The Live D&D show led by voices you might recognize2016-02-26T20:00:00Z2016-02-26T20:00:00Z<p><em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4065482/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">Marisha Ray</a> is surrounded by some of her closest friends, but there are tears welling in her eyes. A recent revelation has filled her with doubt and guilt in equal measure, leading her to believe that her previous actions may have brought death to the doorsteps of a great many people. The tears begin their journey downward as she tries to gather her bearings, and a friend's kind words help her to steel herself. As the cameras record this poignant moment, it's hard to remember that you're watching a group of voice actors play Dungeons &amp; Dragons.</em></p>
<p>For the past month, I've been driving back and forth to Burbank, California to interview the cast of Critical Role, Geek &amp; Sundry's live-action <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;Twitch show. One of those trips even led to a bolt dislodging from inside of my car and locking my rotor, stranding my car in East Los Angeles. I've pulled the cast away from their busy lives and attempted to extract whatever I can from their brain buckets. In a diner, outside a coffee shop with rain gently cascading on umbrellas overhead, and on the studio set, I've learned more about the culmination of effort that led to the creation of this rapidly-growing show.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1240448/?ref_=nv_sr_1#actor" target="_blank">Liam O' Brien</a>&nbsp;(Akihiko from&nbsp;<em>Persona 3</em>, Ilidan Stormrage from&nbsp;<i>Warcraft</i>, a billion characters in&nbsp;<i>Anime</i>) saw one of my <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;posts and cordially invited me to the set. I began silently screaming, as voice acting and role-playing are two of my favorite things. After doing my best to recompose any sense of professionalism, we scheduled a studio visit so I could see what happens behind-the-scenes. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's step back a few years.</p>
<p>Critical Role's Rube Goldberg machine was tapped into action when Liam and his friend <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0726184/">Sam Riegel</a>&nbsp;(Teddie from <em>Persona 4</em>, Donnel, the best character in <em>Fire Emblem: Awakening</em>)&nbsp;challenged themselves to play&nbsp;<i>D&amp;D</i>&nbsp;for their second episode of their podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://allworknoplay.podbean.com/">allworknoplay</a>. Liam had already dabbled in the dark arts of role-playing when he was younger: "In grade school I didn't feel confident enough to play with anybody. It was only in high school that I was able to make the weird...work."&nbsp; Sam, however, had never played before and had no idea what to expect.</p>
<p>At the time, Liam was voice directing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2233310/">Matthew Mercer</a>&nbsp;(Chrom from <em>Fire Emblem: Awakening</em>, Levi from <em>Attack on Titan</em>)&nbsp;as Leon&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Resident Evil 6</em>. Over the next few months, Matt kept asking Liam if he wanted to join his home campaign, saying he knew he'd love it. Busy with his young children at the time, Liam kept refusing, but eventually said "Alright, we'll play for my birthday, I'll talk [the other voice actors] into it, it'll be funny." He expected to play once and move onto the next thing for allworknoplay, but it took "all of twenty seconds to know... I loved it."</p>
<p>Liam went home, his heart beating with the energy associated with good role-playing, and immediately texted his friends to schedule an ongoing game. After a day of silence, he started to feel like "a jilted lover," and was already looking for another way to feed his new addiction ("oh God...maybe Matt will let me join his home game?"). But a day later, responses began to flood in. They added <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwighMPA3ZTLAhWD6SYKHa76AgsQFggcMAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Fname%2Fnm0424534%2F&amp;usg=AFQjCNEl-bQNgsZ8luR5gj8xw18sQgJLPA&amp;bvm=bv.115339255,d.eWE">Ashley Johnson</a>&nbsp;(Ellie from <em>The Last of Us</em>, Gortys from <em>Tales from the Borderlands</em>), <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0043552/" target="_blank">Taliesin Jaffe</a>&nbsp;(Blanka in recent <em>Street Fighter </em>games), and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1039206/" target="_blank">Orion Acaba</a>&nbsp;(who has since amicably separated from Critical Role) to the roster, and began their new campaign.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/342464-criticalrole_streamys.jpg" alt="Inside Critical Role: The Live D&D show led by voices you might recognize screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/inside-critical-role-the-live-d-d-show-led-by-voices-you-might-recognize-342464.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=338242Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissSomeone made a Fallout-themed character sheet for D&D2016-02-01T17:30:00Z2016-02-01T17:30:00Z<p>I'm not quite convinced that <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;can easily be converted to fit <em>Fallout</em>'s classless (game-wise, not social stature-wise) RPG style, but that didn't stop a person on the internet from dreaming up this 'lil baby:</p>
<center><img src="https://www.destructoid.com/ul/338242-/falloutdndsheet-noscale.jpg" border="0" width="500" height="647" /></center>
<p>While this amounts only to a skin for your character sheet and won't fundamentally change the game to include Rad-X and Super Mutants, it's really well done! I really like the layout, especially having your spell slots readily available on the first page and having your skills grouped by their determining stat. If you made this, or know who did, let me know so I can give credit where it's due.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/338242-falloutdnd.jpg" alt="Someone made a Fallout-themed character sheet for D&D screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/someone-made-a-fallout-themed-character-sheet-for-d-d-338242.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=334994Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissFour retro class specializations come back to D&D in this month's Unearthed Arcana2016-01-18T00:00:00Z2016-01-18T00:00:00Z<p>This month's <a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/kits-old">Unearthed Arcana</a>&nbsp;brings <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;four retro class specializations that I hope my players use: the Colleges of Swords and Satire for Bards, and Cavalier and Scout for Fighter.</p>
<p>Bards from the College of Swords are referred to as "blades" and tend to be performers of the knife juggling and sword swallowing sort. They use special flourishes that make them skilled wielders of scimitars. Those who attend the College of Satire are "jesters," and they seem incredibly fun to roleplay as. Look at this description:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Jesters are loyal to only one cause: the pursuit and propagation of the truth. They use their comedy and innocuous appearance to break down social barriers and expose corruption, incompetence, and stupidity among the rich and powerful. Whether revealing a con artist&rsquo;s treachery or exposing a baron&rsquo;s plans for war as driven by greed and bloodlust, a jester serves as the conscience of a realm.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They can also make people fart, if you're into that sort of thing.</p>
<p>Fighters that choose to be Cavaliers specialize in mounted combat. While it seems cool in theory, I don't tend to have mounts in my campaigns. Maybe this will change that! Scouts are a a Fighter/Ranger hybrid that might seem a little lackluster until you realize how great their superiority dice are. I love when they add class stuff like this, especially considering the <i>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</i>&nbsp;was more of a setting book than anything.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/kits-old">Kits of Old</a> [Dungeons &amp; Dragons]</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/334994-dizzlesanddizzles.jpg" alt="Four retro class specializations come back to D&D in this month's Unearthed Arcana screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=334029Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissDungeon Masters Guild lets you self-publish your D&D material2016-01-13T17:00:00Z2016-01-13T17:00:00Z<p>Wizards of the Coast has just implemented the new Dungeon Master's Guild <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dmsguild.com/">website</a>, where you can self-publish adventures, character classes, monsters, and whatever else you can dream up. When placing your content on the website, you can either decide to allow people to pay what they want (including the grand ol' price of free) or set a price. The only current stipulation is that it has to be content for the Forgotten Realms setting in fifth edition, which I imagine will change whenever the <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;team officially moves on to the their next plans.</p>
<p>I just downloaded Matthew Mercer's (of Critical Role and voice acting fame) Gunslinger and Blood Hunter classes for free, so I dig the service so far.&nbsp;It's been some time since I covered anything related to&nbsp;<em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;</em>because I am bad and haven't played with my group in a few months. I've barely cracked open my&nbsp;<em>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</em>, and that makes me sad. Hopefully, with the new year, I'll get back into it.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/dungeon-masters-guild-now-open">Dungeon Masters Guild Now Open</a>&nbsp;[Dungeons &amp; Dragons]</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/334029-dmguildheader.jpg" alt="Dungeon Masters Guild lets you self-publish your D&D material screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=326746Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissYou can try Sword Coast Legends for free this weekend2015-12-14T20:00:00Z2015-12-14T20:00:00Z<p><em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;didn't quite make it to the stars it was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-sword-coast-legends-318333.phtml">reaching for,</a> but I'm still confident it'll get there eventually. Now that there's been a couple of content packs, adding in "<span>playable drow elves, new skill trees, additional monster abilities, [and] character respec," I'll probably jump back in to check it out.</span></p>
<p>And this weekend, you can too! From December 17 to December 22, <em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;and all if its content will be free-to-play. That should be just enough of time for one of you to build a Destructoid community level. Have fun!</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://steamcommunity.com/games/325600/announcements/detail/48775606485820389"><em>Sword Coast Legends</em>: Steam Free Weekend!</a> [Steam]</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/326746-swordcoast.jpg" alt="You can try Sword Coast Legends for free this weekend screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=318778Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissNew experimental rules bring Underdark specializations to D&D2015-11-03T12:00:00Z2015-11-03T12:00:00Z<p>I've fallen a bit off of covering all things <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </em>due to a dearth of time, but I'm jumping back in with this month's <a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/light-dark-underdark">Unearthed Arcana</a>. This one is all about bringing your character to the subterranean Underdark. There's two new fighting styles for fighters, paladins, and rangers (Close Quarters Shooter and Tunnel Fighter), a Deep Stalker archetype for rangers, the shadow origin for sorcerers, and a new warlock patron: the Undying Light.</p>
<p>It's all cool stuff that thematically ties well into the latest adventure, <em>Out of the Abyss</em>. I've only DM'ed the opening prison section of that so far (again, no time), but I might get my players to take a look at these just for funsies. Do you guys like these characters, or do you think they need more fine-tuning?</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/light-dark-underdark">Light, Dark, Underdark!</a>&nbsp;[Dungeons &amp; Dragons]</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/318778-OUT_OF_THE_ABYSS_2.0.0.jpg" alt="New experimental rules bring Underdark specializations to D&D screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=318333Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissReview: Sword Coast Legends2015-10-31T16:00:00Z2015-10-31T16:00:00Z<p>The elevator pitch for <em>Sword Coast Legends </em>was concocted in a cauldron specifically to make the Zack Furnisses of the world greedily salivate. "That 5th edition <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;that you love Dungon Mastering for your players?" n-Space asks, churning the pot with its over-sized ladle. "We're going to translate that into a digital format, so that you can keep your players with you even when their schedules don't allow. And you like old cRPG games, right? We're even going to throw in a single-player campaign to bring back those memories."&nbsp;</p>
<p>And it does bring back those memories! <em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;finds every way it can to make you wish to return to those older, better games.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/318333-SSC1.jpg" alt="Review: Sword Coast Legends screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-sword-coast-legends-318333.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=312247Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissSword Coast Legends is taking a short rest, releasing October 202015-09-23T22:30:00Z2015-09-23T22:30:00Z<p>Oh,&nbsp;<em>Sword Coast Legends</em>. Your Dungeon Master mode <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-dungeon-master-surpassed-my-expectations-294474.phtml">impressed</a> me more than I thought it would, and the time I spent with you over the weekend was but a taste of your possible wonders. While I still have some concerns, I want the world to get their (sleight of) hands all over you.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But it's hard when you've been hit by two delays, now. Initially, you were coming to the PC, Mac, and Linux on September 8. Then, you were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-facing-slight-delay-297299.phtml">expected</a> on September 29. And now I hear that you're restrained until October 20? I know that'll upset some, but take your time. Plus, you offered your <em>Rage of Demons</em>&nbsp;DLC to all pre-ordering folks to lessen the blow.&nbsp;Use that player feedback you've received from the head start weekends (also available to those who pre-order) to make the best game you can.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Hopefully, the Q1 2016 release dates for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 won't be obscured for too long.&nbsp;</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/312247-swordcoastcover.jpg" alt="Sword Coast Legends is taking a short rest, releasing October 20 screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=310117Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissMagic: The Gathering - Puzzle Quest found inspiration in Tinder2015-09-10T10:30:00Z2015-09-10T10:30:00Z<p>I'm telling you right now, if you clicked on this article for an expert opinion on all things <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, you're in the wrong place. I know fuck-all about <i>Magic</i>! My only experience with <em>Puzzle Quest</em>&nbsp;is the five minutes I played ten minutes ago to have some semblance of authority on the topic.</p>
<p>Our wonderful Steven Hansen knows that I love <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;and have recently made it my <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.destructoid.com/d-d-sword-coast-adventurer-s-guide-releasing-in-november-297120.phtml&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0CAgQFjABahUKEwixg6yIy-vHAhXQSZIKHQpdBSY&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;usg=AFQjCNHpLXoTKeoinRq_8rDPAWB6r5Yihw" target="_blank">beat</a>. He figured "<em>Magic</em>? <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>? Same thing! Pen and pape her? I hardly know 'er!" and sent me on my way.</p>
<p>So when I showed up at my appointment to see the game at PAX, I was a little nervous. The nice PR man had already helped me out by generously pushing back my appointment since I had slept maybe two hours during the previous night, and here I was, about to be that guy who sheepishly smiles blankly as the enthusiastic developer pours his heart out. When I timidly arrived and he jovially asked how much I knew about <em>Magic</em>, I chose the honest route and said zero. When he hopefully asked if I knew anything about <em>Puzzle Quest</em>, and I shook my head, his shoulders fell almost imperceptibly. His sad eyes betrayed his desire to remain cheerful.</p>
<p>"Well, this is going to be hard."</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/310117-mtgpuzzhead.jpg" alt="Magic: The Gathering - Puzzle Quest found inspiration in Tinder screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/magic-the-gathering-puzzle-quest-found-inspiration-in-tinder-310117.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=310111Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissD&D's Ranger class is undergoing maintenance2015-09-09T23:00:00Z2015-09-09T23:00:00Z<p>This month's Unearthed Arcana (new, possibly volatile rules) brings some changes to the <a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/ranger">Ranger class</a> in&nbsp;<i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons. </i>&nbsp;When the Fifth Edition hit shelves, many players agreed that the Ranger class and specifically the Beast master subclass was underwhelming. I'm just about to start a campaign as an Aarakocra Ranger so I can't comment myself, but go ahead and google "do 5e rangers suck." Just kidding, I did that for you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;rlz=2C1CHFX_enUS0536US0537&amp;ion=1&amp;espv=2&amp;ie=UTF-8#q=does%205e%20ranger%20suck">here</a>.</p>
<p>Mike Mearls, current lead designer, is aware of the widespread disappointment. His stated goal with this Unearthed Arcana is to "<span>make the ranger feel distinct and interesting while still remaining true to its identity within the game." The basic gist of the change is that Rangers can now have Spirit Companions that can watch their back and even become corporeal once per day to assist them directly. You can choose between three paths: Guardian, Seeker, and Stalker, which each offer different companions and abilities.</span></p>
<p><span>There's also a focus on differentiating Rangers from other classes, since their once unique survival abilities have become a more generalized skill. They're here described as "the paladins of the forest," which seems a little silly since there are Nature Paladins, but I understand what they're trying to say. I might implement this into my upcoming character to try it out. What do you guys think? Where my Rangers at?</span></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/ranger">Unearthed Arcana: Ranger</a> [Dungeons &amp; Dragons]</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/310111-drizzy.jpg" alt="D&D's Ranger class is undergoing maintenance screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=307175Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissD&D Forgotten Realms CRPGs are now available on GOG.com2015-08-20T17:30:00Z2015-08-20T17:30:00Z<p>Aside from a bit of <em>Baldur's Gate</em>&nbsp;and <em>Neverwinter Nights</em>,&nbsp;I never had the chance to play most of the <em>Dungeon &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;game that came out for the PC. GOG.com and Wizards of the Coast are giving people the option to revisit these classics via&nbsp;<em><a href="https://www.gog.com/news/release_forgotten_realms_the_archives" target="_blank">Forgotten Realms: The Archive</a>, </em>which is divided into three collections.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_realms_the_archives_collection_one" target="_blank">Collection One</a> contains <em>Eye of the Beholder</em>, <em>Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon</em>, and <em>Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor</em>. It'll run you $9.99. <a href="https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_realms_the_archives_collection_two" target="_blank">Collection Two</a> has <em>Pool of Radiance</em>, <em>Pools of Darkness</em>,&nbsp;<em>Curse of the Azure Bonds</em>, <em>Hillsfar</em>,<em>&nbsp;Gateway to the Savage Frontier</em>, <em>Treasure of the Savage Frontier</em>, <em>Secret of the Silver Blades</em>, and <em>Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures,</em>&nbsp;which also adds up to $9.99. <a href="https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_realms_the_archives_collection_three" target="_blank">Collection Three</a>&nbsp;only has two games, <em>Dungeon Hack</em>&nbsp;and <em>Menzobarranzan</em>, and it costs $5.99.</p>
<p>Other <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;games are also on <a href="https://www.gog.com/promo/weekend_promo_hasbro_dd_classics_bundle_200815" target="_blank">sale</a>, such as <em>Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights</em>, and <em>The Temple of Elemental Evil. Planescape: Torment </em>for $1.99? Yeah, I'll bite. I'll probably end up getting Collection One for the <em>Eye of the Beholder </em>series. I hope it fills the void that <em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-legend-of-grimrock-2-286024.phtml" target="_blank">Legend of Grimrock 2</a></em>&nbsp;left inside of me. Now go wash your eyes to get all of these italics out.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/307175-eotb2.jpg" alt="D&D Forgotten Realms CRPGs are now available on GOG.com screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=306581Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissProtect your brain from Sword Coast Legends' Mind Flayers2015-08-17T19:00:00Z2015-08-17T19:00:00Z<p><iframe width="711" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXNSQ9cZYU0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The&nbsp;<em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </em>sort-of tabletop simulator&nbsp;<i>Sword Coast Legends</i>&nbsp;is just over a <a href="https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-facing-slight-delay-297299.phtml" target="_blank">month away</a> now. With this upcoming release speeding ever-forward, developers n-Space and Digital Extremes have begun to exhibit some of the monsters that players will be fighting.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The most recent video features the classic Illithids, known as Mind Flayers to most. If you're familiar with <em>Demon's Souls</em>, think of the assholes with the bells in the Tower of Latria. In <em>D&amp;D</em>&nbsp;they're aberrations who use psionic powers to enthrall other creatures. They also have a nasty habit of devouring brains. It's a cool touch that they show off stats in a similar fashion to the <em>Monster Manual</em>&nbsp;in the video. That combat still looks as wonky as <a href="https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-dungeon-master-surpassed-my-expectations-294474.phtml" target="_blank">I remember</a>, but I choose to remain hopeful!</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/306581-swordcoastlol.jpg" alt="Protect your brain from Sword Coast Legends' Mind Flayers screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=297299Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissSword Coast Legends facing slight delay2015-08-05T13:00:00Z2015-08-05T13:00:00Z<p><em>Sword Coast Legends</em>, n-Space's upcoming <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </i>co-op RPG, is coming out just a tad later than expected. Though the PS4 and Xbox One versions have always had an ethereal grasp on a nebulous "late 2015" release, the PC, Mac, and Linux versions were set for a September 8 launch.</p>
<p>Due a need for "more hit points for the bosses" and Larethar needing "<em>more</em>&nbsp;of a Scottish accent," <em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;will now be releasing on September 29. Three extra weeks isn't the end of the world, and they're sweetening the pot by making it so the <em>Rage of Demons</em>&nbsp;DLC is free for anyone who pre-orders. I enjoyed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-dungeon-master-surpassed-my-expectations-294474.phtml">my time</a> with the game, but it could use the extra polish.</p>
<p>Remember, don't confuse this for the <em>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</em>&nbsp;I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/d-d-sword-coast-adventurer-s-guide-releasing-in-november-297120.phtml">talked about yesterday</a>. I know, I know.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/297299-swordcoastdm.jpg" alt="Sword Coast Legends facing slight delay screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=297120Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissD&D Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide releasing in November2015-08-04T20:00:00Z2015-08-04T20:00:00Z<p>Since <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i>&nbsp;has been an inspiration for approximately 20,842 video games, I'm going to start covering all forthcoming 5E releases. I know there's at least a few of you in the audience who either take on the role of adventurers or dungeon masters. Let's try to bring the rest of them out of the woodwork. No nerd-shaming here.</p>
<p>We are now defending the Forgotten Realms from the evil below in the <em>Rage of Demons</em>&nbsp;storyline. Gromph Baenre, the Archmage of Menzoberranzan, made a tiny fuck-up where he accidentally unleashed demons into the Underdark.&nbsp;<em>Out of the Abyss</em>, an adventure book detailing this particular scenario, is due to release on September 15 (my birthday, &lt;3), but we've known that for some time.</p>
<p>Wizards of the Coast has recently announced the next sourcebook, the <em>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</em>. The book is meant for both adventurers and dungeon masters so that you can create new characters in <em>Out of the Abyss</em>&nbsp;or for your own adventures. There are also new class options, like the Purple Dragon Knight and Swashbuckler. Bladesinger (remember 3.5?) is also mentioned outside of the class section, so it's possible that it'll be Bard class option. New subraces and backgrounds will also be featured.</p>
<p>Locations in the <em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;video game are going to be in the guide, as Wizards of the Coast is starting to advertise it more heavily. It's a good time to be a <em>D&amp;D </em>fan, but I'm hoping we'll see less of the Forgotten Realms as time goes on. There are other campaign settings in the Multiverse, guys!&nbsp;</p>
<p>The <em>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide</em>&nbsp;will be available November 3.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/297120-swordcoastguide.jpg" alt="D&D Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide releasing in November screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=296936Caitlin Cookehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Caitlin+CookeReview: Magic Duels: Origins2015-07-31T13:00:00Z2015-07-31T13:00:00Z<p dir="ltr">My addiction to <em>Magic</em> began with the first <em>Duels of the Planeswalkers</em> game for the 360 back in 2009. Although it had its shortcomings (mana tapping, anyone?), the <em>DoTP</em> series created an accessible way for new (or rusty) players to learn and play <em>Magic</em> before unleashing their skills onto the real world.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Over the years the series has become more complex, trading in accessibility for customization -- most recently receiving criticism for players having to pay up for premium cards. <em>Magic Duels: Origins</em> revives the friendly, easy-to-pick-up experience from the <em>DotP</em> series, while merging it with the ever-trending (and seemingly undead) free-to-play model. In this edition however, players can choose to earn their rewards by playing through various modes instead of dishing out cash for premium cards (unless that&rsquo;s the preference, of course).</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/296936-AA2.jpg" alt="Review: Magic Duels: Origins screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-magic-duels-origins-296936.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=295926Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissHere's a full dungeon crawl in Sword Coast Legends 2015-07-13T14:30:00Z2015-07-13T14:30:00Z<p>Ever since I had a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-dungeon-master-surpassed-my-expectations-294474.phtml&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0CAUQFjAAahUKEwjEiOK_0tjGAhWJmogKHZOdAa0&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;usg=AFQjCNFdz5mFEbzYDUF1gXS4WKTJsiNbYw">chance to play</a>&nbsp;<em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;at E3, I've wanted to watch a dungeon run from the perspectives of both Adventurer and Dungeon Master at my own leisure. I guess I failed a perception check and this one stealthed right past me.</p>
<p>I'm so sorry.</p>
<p>Awful <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </em>humor aside, the video offers a detailed look at the simply silly amount of control that the Dungeon Master has when creating a campaign. What you see here is a different take on what I played, minus the intro where town and quest creation was highlighted.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;is only a couple short months away now. It will be available on Steam on September 8, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 releases following later in the year.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1PUbc3ofBgY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/295926-swordcoastdm.jpg" alt="Here's a full dungeon crawl in Sword Coast Legends screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=294474Zack Furnisshttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Zack+FurnissSword Coast Legends' Dungeon Master surpassed my expectations2015-06-20T14:30:00Z2015-06-20T14:30:00Z<p>I was supposed to Dungeon Master a session of <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em>&nbsp;tonight, but that post-E3 fatigue comes in <em>hard</em>. So why not tell you about my hands-on session with n-Space's&nbsp;<em>Sword Coast Legends</em>, a new asymmetrical co-op RPG based on the fifth edition of <em>D&amp;D</em>? That's right, soak in some of these geek juices. We're about to get nerdy in here.</p>
<p>CRPGs have had a resurgence as of late:&nbsp;<i>Pillars of Eternity</i>, <em>Divinity: Original Sin</em>, and <em>Wasteland 2</em>&nbsp;have been giving old-school PC gamers something to smile about. And while I'm an awful dirty bag of trashwater because I haven't had time to try those out extensively, I can tell that they don't scratch the itch that a pen and paper RPG can. If a few kinks are worked out, <em>Sword Coast Legends</em>&nbsp;might be able to do just that.</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/294474-Sword Coast Legends - header.jpg" alt="Sword Coast Legends' Dungeon Master surpassed my expectations screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/sword-coast-legends-dungeon-master-surpassed-my-expectations-294474.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=264056Darren Nakamurahttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Darren+NakamuraMagic: The Gathering Tactics will shut down next year2013-10-22T18:30:00Z2013-10-22T18:30:00Z<p>Have you been playing the free-to-play strategy game <em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.magicthegatheringtactics.com/">Magic: The Gathering - Tactics</a></em>? If so, you don't have long to continue, as Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast have decided to "<a target="_blank" href="https://forums.station.sony.com/soe/index.php?threads/magic-the-gathering-tactics-sunsets-march-28-2014.11500062800/">sunset</a>" the game on March 28, 2014. That's the PR spin way of saying that they're sh*tcanning it.</p>
<p>Players can no longer sign up for new accounts with the game, but the real kick in the pants to users is in between the lines of the following FAQ item.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><b>What&rsquo;s going to happen to my Magic: The Gathering &ndash; Tactics cards?<br /></b>Magic: The Gathering &ndash; Tactics cards that players have in their existing deck inventory prior to November 18, 2013 will continue to be accessible through March 28, 2014. No new packs will be available for purchase as of November 18, 2013.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some players who purchased cards over the course of the title's life are optimistic about being refunded. While Sony does not explicitly say what will happen to the cards after March 28, one can only assume the worst: cards purchased with real money may be deleted without any credit given to the purchaser. Free-to-play, everybody!</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/264056-Magic.jpg" alt="Magic: The Gathering Tactics will shut down next year screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=255529Joshua Derocherhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joshua+DerocherBaldur's Gate recreated as Neverwinter Nights 2 mod2013-06-06T22:30:00Z2013-06-06T22:30:00Z<p><iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9m6m0ia8COo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>A crazy mod team has spent seven years recreating <em>Baldur's Gate</em> in the <em>Neverwinter Nights 2</em> engine. Not parts of it -- the whole thing. They didn't just start, either; it's done and it took seven years. Yup, it's crazy. It's also really awesome.</p>
<p><em><a target="_blank" href="https://neverwinter.nexusmods.com/mods/794/?tab=1&amp;navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmoddescription%2F%3Fid%3D794%26preview%3D&amp;pUp=1">Baldur's Gate: Reloaded</a></em> goes way beyond <em>Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition</em> and previous mod attempts to bring the classic role-playing game into the modern era. It recreates the entire game in 3D. You have to have <em>Neverwinter Nights 2</em> and all of the expansions to play this, but you can grab that from <a href="https://www.gog.com/gamecard/neverwinter_nights_2_complete" target="_blank">GOG.com for twenty bucks</a>. Then you'll have more RPG than you know what to do with.</p>
<p>[Update: Users have reported that this will not work with the Steam copy of the game. You can't buy it anymore off of Steam, but if you already own it you won't be able to use this mod.]</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-06-baldurs-gate-remade-in-3d-as-a-free-neverwinter-nights-2-mod">Baldur's Gate remade in 3D as a free Neverwinter Nights 2 mod</a>&nbsp;[Eurogamer]</p> <p>
<img src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/255529-baldursgatereloaded.jpg" alt="Baldur's Gate recreated as Neverwinter Nights 2 mod screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
</p>
tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=239662Patrick Hancockhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Patrick+HancockReview: Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition2012-12-06T17:00:00Z2012-12-06T17:00:00Z<p><i>Baldur's Gate</i> will forever be regarded as one of the classic PC RPGs. A lot of people never experienced it back in 1998, and it's not exactly the best-looking game anymore. To complicate things, it can be a pain to get the old game to run on newer machines, even after GOG.com began selling the title.</p>
<p><i>Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition</i> not only remedies these issues, it also adds a good amount of new content, making it way easier to recommend to someone who previously missed out.</p> <p>
<img src="http://www.destructoid.com//ul/239662-spreader header.jpg" alt="Review: Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-baldur-s-gate-enhanced-edition-239662.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=227939Brett Zeidlerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+ZeidlerFirst trailer for Magic 2013 has new mode, teases another2012-05-23T23:00:00Z2012-05-23T23:00:00Z<p><!-- SCRIPT BEFORE DIV -->
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<p>So, I've actually just been getting into <em>Magic: The Gathering </em>in the past few days. I picked up <em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2012-204307.phtml" target="_blank">Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012</a> </em>over the weekend in the giant Microsoft sale in the Xbox Live Marketplace for just $5. Destructoid's <a href="https://www.destructoid.com/elephant/index.phtml?a=82792&amp;tab=1" target="_blank">Caitlin Cooke</a> has actually been showing me how to play. It was pretty overwhelming at first, but I rather enjoy it quite a bit.</p>
<p>The first trailer for <em>Magic: The Gathering Duel of the Planeswalkers 2013 </em>is out today, and it's looking spectacular. It shows off the new and improved UI, 10 new decks, the new "Planechase" multiplayer mode, and ends on a tease to "face off a greater challenge" where it shows a painting of a guy standing in front of a giant golden dragon. I can't wait to fight all the dragons.</p>
<p><em>Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013</em> will be out "soon" for XBLA, PSN, Steam, and <a href="https://www.destructoid.com/duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2013-announced-for-ipad-more-225376.phtml" target="_blank">for the first time iPad</a>. Brush up on those <em>Magic </em>skills, because I know I will be.</p> <p>
<img src="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/227939-magic2013.jpg" alt="First trailer for Magic 2013 has new mode, teases another screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.destructoid.com/first-trailer-for-magic-2013-has-new-mode-teases-another-227939.phtml">Read more...</a>tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=225376Jordan Devorehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jordan+DevoreDuels of the Planeswalkers 2013 announced for iPad, more2012-04-06T16:00:00Z2012-04-06T16:00:00Z<p><em>Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers </em>has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2012-204307.phtml">quite the money maker</a> for Wizards of the Coast, and I don't see that stopping any time soon. Especially not now that the series is coming to iPad -- in addition to <em></em>PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and Steam -- this summer.</p>
<p>The latest installment, <em>Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013</em>, will include ten new decks, further puzzle challenges, optional manual mana tapping, and a multiplayer mode called Planechase. Intended for <em>MTG</em> regulars, this mode modifies game rules using oversized cards based on specific Planes.</p>
<p>There's so much promise for board and card games on iPad, now more than ever with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.destructoid.com/new-ipad-announced-quad-core-2048-x-1536-resolution-223409.phtml">sexy resolution</a> of the new model, so it's good to see such an oft-requested game like this come to iOS.</p> <p>
<img src="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/225376-magic1.jpg" alt="Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 announced for iPad, more screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=209976Conrad Zimmermanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Conrad+ZimmermanTara talks Magic: The Gathering with Wizards of the Coast2011-08-27T01:00:00Z2011-08-27T01:00:00Z<p><!-- jEmbed JS API-->
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<p>That saucy vixen Tara Long spent some time hanging out with <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> brand manager Paul Levy at PAX today to take a look at the latest updates to the digital version of the biggest collectible card game in the world, <em><a href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2012-204307.phtml">Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012</a>.</em>&nbsp;They'll give you a look at the new deck manager as well as the upcoming "Archenemy" expansion.</p>
<p>I can't allow myself to get sucked back into a <em>Magic</em>&nbsp;habit after being clean for so long. I had a relapse somewhere around 2006 where I bought a few starter packs and a few boosters but managed to curb the desire for new and more creative deck designs in favor of being able to eat. They're not getting me this time either, but damn if that doesn't make me want to pick up a controller and tap some mana.</p> <p>
<img src="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/209976-hd.jpg" alt="Tara talks Magic: The Gathering with Wizards of the Coast screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=209146Joshua Derocherhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joshua+DerocherExpansion coming for Duels of the Planeswalkers 20122011-08-17T20:30:00Z2011-08-17T20:30:00Z<p>Magic the Gathering fans rejoice! A new <a target="_blank" title="Archenemy, Innistrad Highlight Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 Expansion" href="https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/other/081711a">expansion</a> for <a target="_blank" title="Review: Magic - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012" href="https://www.destructoid.com/review-magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2012-204307.phtml"><em>Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012</em></a> is incoming. Sure, we expected it would happen, but we have some pretty screenshots to prove it now.</p>
<p>You'll be able to play the new <a target="_blank" title="Archenemy Rules Revealed" href="https://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/91">Archenemy</a> game type that Wizards of the Coast released back in the spring. It lets one player take on multiple opponents with an additional 20 overpowered cards in his deck. There will be an 11-level single-player campaign for the Archenemy mode.</p>
<p>Three new decks, six single-player campaign levels, four new cards for each of the existing decks, more achievements, and new loading screens are also going to be added as well. A preview of six cards from a later expansion called "Inistrad" is also included.</p>
<p>The expansion will be available for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 this fall. If you're at PAX Prime you'll be able to play it at the Magic booth.</p> <p>
<img src="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/209146-2012_Header.jpg" alt="Expansion coming for Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 screenshot" width="620" border="0" />
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